The Dillon tribune., 1887-11-04

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ing carriage she fixed me Wit, stony eva
and said, ''Oh! you nasty little how
smoking at your age! Where do Won tx.
pect to so to:' and proceeded to take NV
pipe away from me; while the other mas
sengcrs said, "Well, he is too Young to- he
smoking, for sure, and that lout of Il so,,
OF mine went black in the face with
rescue
Marlborough was reached at last and
we walked up to the headmastor's ho11se.
With some difficulty and two half crowns
induced the incredulous butler to usher ,,s
IN, and having got rid of his first notion
that 1t WAS, as he said, "a OAK, T fon,,l
had cast out the first devil ONLY to have
u more wicked one take his place: for
now he winkc,l jocosely and badc us
come this way, young gclle'ncn." and
actually lokcd me III the r;hs before CO.
ing round the screen and ,;sll,.Yii,.c us into
the doctors presence. VIZ. wild will,
wrath at the ildignity. "Ducior.' said
|, 1ierccly and shrilly, Il must protest,
insist. SIR He glared at me haughtly.
and then, turning to my lout. said. ..is
this some farce? If, sir, as | SUPPOSE.
you are bringing your little brother to on
ter him 1T the school, let ne say that we
have tho means" and he swished his
hand through the air, ''of correcting that
unbridled and insubordi,,a1, demcunor
which the loss. no doubt, Of father. and
the absence of parental control, has iu-
duced in him. l see,' said he. as the
gaby turned crimson and shuf1letl from
one foot to the other, '.your brothers.
pcrtness not ,lnnaturally disco,nposes YOU:
believe me, attach no blame to you. and
Think he added Significantly, 1--WE can
soon remedy it,
My cup brimmel over. What exactly
lsaid will not repeat Let me not for
get that am Il clergyman, and that it is
my duty alike 10 forgive my enemies and
to eschew bad language; but for the
nonce my language was very bad indeed,
and very wrathful; and the matter was
made all the worse by the fact that
the doctor was but a young man. Sir
! cried, II took an honorable degree at
Oxford when you were still being birched
at school, and was u priest in holy orders
before ever you were in coat tails How
dare you gibe ut my personal appearance,
sir? How dare you make Il mock of my
infirmity? You seem SO inhuuan. and SO
indecently fond of the most degrading
part of your duties, that l would gladly
leave this grinning oaf with you. and then
he would set the thraslling he deserves
for exulting in his fathers discontinue,
But then l should have to speak with
you, sir; tn speak with you! and will
not lower myself 10y having anything to
do with you; evil communications corrupt
good manners, sir, and will not stoop to
imperil my own good breeding by COM
municating with petlagogue, who, in
stead of scholar and /; gentleman, ap-
pears to be q coxcomb and II boor;" and
with this TRADE flung out of the room in
rage, and my son skunk out at my heels.
Twas speechless with fury till we got
some distance from the house. Then,
looking up, saw that my wretchel boy
was staggering still, and in my mortiflca-
ton struck him with my c;lne There
were several of the lads about. and he, poor
fellow, was high and mighty in his new
tail coat, and he felt the indignity. He
lost his temper, as had lost mine, and,
turning on me, he boxed my ears. This
was too much. To what depth of con-
tempt must / have fallen! l dropped on
bench and burst into tcars-the bitter
est tears, think, that ever man shed.
gave him money and sent him home
alone, and then wandered away in indie
scribablc wretchedness. I was blind to
all that passed; / neither saw nor cared
where went. could not even pursue
one train Of thought however miserable
Not that any oblivion came meTcifully tc
relieve me from my sul1crings. ! passed
through moment after moment of cxqri-
site pain, but each seemed isolated, and to
be cnuured by itself separately, and with
out any continuity with either tho mo-
ments that went before or those which
followed after. How the time went do
not know, but after what thought was
great while l found myself sitting by a
dull, dark stream, staring gloomily into it,
uO not know what was passing through
my mind; perhaps no settled thought had
formed itself; but was in very abyss of
despair. Suddenly l felt IL little hand
thrust into mine, and child kissed lne.
looked up and saw Il village girl of or
8ycars old, very plain but for q pair of
wistful eyes. who gazetl pitifully at me
and said, "Poo' boy!' From her lips did
not vince Mt the reproach of youth. Slowly
Icame out of the dark mood in which was
ready Tor know not what rash act; and
in talking to the little girl, and feeling
her hand contidingly in mine, l gradually
found composurc and resignation. She
was very shy, and even stupid, and, when
got her to speak, her voice was coarse,
and she talked in Il villainously provincial
accent; but still, by her mute kindness
and fellow feeling, she had saved III from
what dared not contemplate, and owed
her debt Of gratitude which could not
pay.
Alas! these milder moments were not
for long. At last | reached home, and
found the boy, who had preceded me, had
told his story from, his own point of view,
and my wife, perhaps rightly, took his
part. II suppose" she said with stately
censurc, IL suppose it is useless to hope
that Xoll arc ashaI,rl Nf vOllrsnlf h1lf I